Cal State Fullerton Breaks From Big West Play to Kick-Off Homestand

TIP-OFF
The Cal State Fullerton women's basketball team looks to get back on the winning side of the equation this week, as the Titans (5-12 overall, 3-4 in Big West) take a break from conference play by hosting a pair of schools who are making the transition to the Division I level this weekend at Titan Gym.

The longest homestand of the season begins on Thursday night (Jan. 26) at 7 p.m. as Fullerton puts its five-game home winning streak on the line as Utah Valley State College comes to town in the first-ever meeting in any sport between the two schools. Two nights later, future Big West rival UC Davis visits Titan Gym on Saturday (Jan. 28) for a 2 p.m. tilt.

ON THE AIR... SORT OF
Both of this week's games will be broadcast live over the Internet at www.FullertonTitans.com. The tandem of Todd Reeves and LaTangia Oliver will handle the call live from Titan Gym.

MORE WAYS TO WATCH
For the first time in the history of the program, fans of Cal State Fullerton women's basketball can watch the action live over the Internet thanks to a partnership between the Big West Conference and CSTV. All remaining men's and women's regular season games not on an ESPN or Fox Sports Net platform are to be streamed as part of a subscription service beginning Jan. 25 for \$24.95. To sign up an view the games, please visit www.cstv.com/ot/bigwest-aa.html.

SCOUTING UTAH VALLEY STATE
The Wolverines enter the week with a 7-11 overall record and five wins in its last eight outings after opening the season 2-8. Utah Valley State split its two games last week, defeating Texas-Pan American (73-67) before falling on the road at Nevada (74-59). UVSC has also tallied wins over Fresno State, Westminster College, Portland, Gonzaga, Idaho State, and Portland State.

Offensively, UVSC is led by freshman center Robyn Fairbanks, who is averaging just under 18 points and nine rebounds per game while shooting just under 50 percent from the floor and leading the team with 26 blocks. She is the reigning Division I Independent Player of the Week. Freshman Sandy Marvin and senior Miriam Palkki are also averaging double figures at 12.1 and 10.9 points, respectively.

Head Coach Cathy Nixon is in her 11th season at the helm of the Wolverines women's basketball program, leading the team to a 205-108 record over the previous 10 seasons, including a pair of NJCAA national tournament appearances.

SCOUTING UC DAVIS
The Aggies enter the weekend with a 9-9 overall record and a two-game winning streak after defeating Cal State Northridge (79-68) and Pacific (77-62) last weekend. All told, the future member of the Big West Conference is 4-2 against league squads (including wins over first and second place Long Beach State and Cal Poly) which would place them third in the league standings entering this week's play. UC davis will meet UC Riverside on Thursday (Jan. 26) before heading west to meet the Titans.

Junior wing player Jessica Campbell leads the Aggies offensively as one of four players averaging double figures. Campbell averages 12 points and just under four rebounds per game while shooting 44 percent from the field and 91 percent from the free throw line.

SERIES NOTES&\#149; UTAH VALLEY STATE: This will be the first meeting between the Wolverines and Cal State Fullerton in any sport as UVSC enters its third season transitioning to the Division I level. &\#149; UC DAVIS: The Titans and Aggies split their two meetings last season with each team winning on their home court - a 70-55 loss at Davis and a 75-69 win in Fullerton.

COMFORTS OF HOME...
How good has Titan Gym been to the Titans this season? Fullerton's five-game home winning streak is the longest since 1998 when Fullerton won five straight and the five wins this season are the most since the 2002-03 season when the Titans were 5-10 at home.

During its home winning streak, Fullerton is averaging 73 points per game (better than its overall season average of 65.4 ppg) while holding the opposition to 64 points (better than its overall season average of 73.3 ppg). All of this while being outshot 46 percent to 42 percent in that span.

TREMENDOUS TRIO
Cal State Fullerton's woes in the win-loss column haven't been due to a lack of scoring. The Titans' trio of senior Amber Pruitt, junior Charlee Underwood, and freshman Toni Thomas all rank in the top nine in the Big West Conference in scoring and in the top 15 in rebounding as well as a host of other categories.

Underwood is fourth in the Big West in scoring at 13.2 points per game and 15th in the league at 5.2 rebounds per game. Pruitt is seventh in the league in scoring at 11.8 ppg and sixth in rebounding at 6.2 rpg while Thomas is ninth in scoring (10.3 ppg) and 12th in rebounding (5.5).

Underwood and Pruitt also rank among the top five in field goal percentage (4th and 5th), Thomas is seventh in free throw percentage (.742), and Underwood ranks in the top 10 this week in steals (1.76 spg), three-point percentage (.431), and three-pointers made (1.29 pg).